1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dough divider or delivery assembly of the type specifically designed to remove individual dough portions in predetermined quantities from a common supply of dough and the delivery of such dough portions to a delivery site such as a conveyor belt wherein further processing is accomplished.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, dough is divided into equal volumetric portions from a main or common supply of dough wherein such portions are rolled into balls and deposited into pans for further baking, processing, etc. The prior art is replete with rotary dough dividers used to accomplish this purpose as evidenced by the following U.S. Pat. Nos. to Steere, 1,954,501; Marasso, 2,858,775; Atkins, 3,541,974; and Cummuns, 4,391,576.
Typical of prior art structures is the assembly disclosed in the above noted patent to Cummons which is directed to a rotary drum dough divider. More specifically, Cummuns discloses an improved assembly for use in a cylinder of a rotating drum type dough divider comprising a sleeve positioned in the cylinder forming seals on both sides of a pair of diametrically opposed guide slots connected to atmosphere and a pair of ducts communicating with the cylinder at opposite ends of the sleeve which are alternately connected to pressure and vacuum. A double acting piston having a head at each end of the cylinder and a piston rod portion extending from each head into the sleeve, and a scaling rod joining the adjacent ends of the piston rod pushes together as provided. Such piston portions reciprocate to cause the rod portions and their heads to reciprocate together in the cylinder instead of by serving as a double ended cylinder and alternately open and closing opposite open ends of the cylinder for the receiving and dispensing of dough therein.
Typical to the problems associated with the prior art and recognized in the industry is the provision of a negative pressure or vacuum to the open end of the cylinder from a locale which is internal of the rotary drum. While the vacuum pump itself may physically by located externally of the rotating drum, connection of the negative fluid pressure source into the interior of the drum such that such negative pressure is drawn through the piston ends. Accordingly, when the open end or ports in the rotating drum is exposed to the supply of dough within a retaining hopper the dough portions in proper volumetric sizing are "sucked" into the exposed port and carried therewith to a delivery site. One problem commonly recognized with these prior art devices is the clogging or scaling of dough beyond the piston head due to the existence of negative pressure on the interior of the cylinder, internally of the location of the piston head. More specifically, after prolonged and continuous operation the dough being brought into the ports through the open ends thereof "leaks" into passages serving to connect the internal negative pressure source to the outer side of the piston. This in turn requires an at least partial dismantling of the assembly and a downtime of the machine in order that such inwardly scaled or leaked dough is removed therefrom. Failure to conduct such maintenance results in a loss of vacuum or negative pressure and failure of the volumetric portions to be brought into the open ended ports or pockets in the proper quantities. Inconsistency in the end product is the obvious result.
Accordingly, there is a need in this industry to provide a means of applying a negative pressure or vacuum to the ports immediately prior to their exposure to the common supply of dough in a manner which will eliminate the clogging of the dough or passage thereof beyond the piston heads into the integral or interior parts of the cylinder so that maintenance and downtime is eliminated or significantly reduced due to this problem.